Vegan Christmas

[MaNeOi]

Myself my husband and our four kids 10-5 are all vegan. My husband and I have been together for 20 years and have been vegan for 26 and 22 years. Our opinion is that it isn't a decision for everybody however that being said its the decision for us and our kids unless they decide to make the switch. We have hosted Christmas for the past 9 years, we make everything vegan and someone brings a joint of meat and cooks it for the people who want it. However this year my sister in law is attending for the first time ever. She's asked to make her own potatoes, veg and gravy- however there isn't the capacity and there is no need. I have said she can eat non-vegan but I see no reason to cook 2 of numerous things, especially given it is in my house. Finally she is quite outspoken against having vegan kids - and has said she wants them to try bacon on Christmas morning, what is the best way to address this and is this unreasonable? She's staying for a week and I can now only see tension.

So rude! I think you are more than generous having someone bring & cook a joint of meat in your vegan home -and I say that as a meat eater. un invite her and enjoy your Christmas without the risk of her shoving bacon down your kids throats.

whats the fucking obsession with bacon? I dont get it. I am not vegetarian, but I dont eat bacon Its salty and weird and pigs are far too clever to eat. So often abused on farms too

Thanks everyone for your responses. She is my husbands sister, but has been against him being vegan since the beginning and even more bothered way back when we started dating and we were a 'vegan couple'. She was really into horse riding as a child and that led to her being into other agriculture things and her social circle is very farm-y which is where I believe a lot of the dislike comes from. In terms of the food, I genuinely think she is doing it be difficult, she doesn't have children and loves to preach on raising them. I honestly would uninvite her but she got divorced earlier in the year and I don't know where else she would go.

In terms of letting my children decide our opinion is that we chose to be vegan, and chose the same for our kids (in the same way that mine and DHs parents chose us to be non-vegan). To the older kids we will often say if they want to eat non-vegan they can but we obviously don't want them going to a friends and eating chicken nuggets as it would make them ill. If they want to eat meat, they can tell us and we will act without judgement and they can try some at grandmas house for tea, or something similar.

I think we may just ban her from the kitchen/cooking at all and tell DH and her mum to kind of keep an eye because I know she will be in agreement of the behaviour, and try and reduce the number of days she's with us. Just a shame I'm going to have to talk through with the kids that they can face this from there aunt.

Apart from anything else, going suddenly from vegan to bacon could upset stomachs. Not what you want on Christmas day!

I'd tell her to agree to stick to your rules or go elsewhere. Bacon for a vegan is just wrong! Not that I agree with being vegan, but it's not your dsils choice or decision. You need to feel comfortable in your house and not pander to visitors.

Oh goodness me how rude and entitled of her! She is a guest in your home, and you haven't even said no meat which as vegans is very accommodating of you. DH needs to tell her to wind her neck in!

Um, would suggest allowing some form of heating up of gravy (M&S turkey gravy isn't as good as the real thing, but is passable). I'm afraid that I've tried a number of vegan options, but yet to find one that is a patch on a meat juice based gravy. Is the bacon because bacon wrapped sausages are generally seen to be an integral part of a turkey Xmas dinner? Or is she insisting on bacon butties? I'd have some sympathy for the former, and pretty much none for the latter. As for roasted potatoes and veg, she's definitely being weird: vegan versions would be just as good, so why on earth make a fuss?

“ To the older kids we will often say if they want to eat non-vegan they can but we obviously don't want them going to a friends and eating chicken nuggets as it would make them ill. “. Really???

Totally not the point of your thread and I'm not even vegetarian let alone vegan but what lovely things do you cook for vegan Xmas dinner? I applaud you for rearing your children in accordance with your own beliefs.

In terms of the food both my Dad and my DHs parents bring meat/non vegan things to be made and that for the past years has satisfied everyone. (Last year we had 16 of us in total). My Dad makes the gravy because he's a genius and we've never had meat gravy if she wanted to bring some to heat thats no issue to me, its more the actually making ultimately an entire separate set of sides. She wants bacon sandwiches for breakfast - however the whole time me and and DH have been together we've always had Christmas Pancakes (American style and crepes) along with bagels I make on Christmas Eve, my Mother in law usually brings cream cheese and salmon for the non vegans which is what DHs family has always done.

@CrispbuttyNo1 Its not that we want them to by any stretch and all my kids are passionate vegans and we've explained to them since birth the reasons we are vegan. However that being said, I'd much rather them be happy to speak to us and explain there reasons so we can have a conversation rather than them being upset about it. I don't believe they ever would eat meat, but I do worry about peer pressure from other kids especially as they get older.

@chipshape Lovely question! We do a classic sage and onion stuffing, along with a nut roast with with lots of cranberries in. Roast potatoes, garlic and rosemary new potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, roasted sprouts, maple carrots, roasted parsnip and peas. Along with a heavy amount of gravy and cranberry sauce. For the kids we also do vegan sausage rolls - big treat because we try and not have them the rest of the year - but we usually serve these later with other snacks/nibbles. Dessert my MIL does a Christmas pudding, me and the kids do 'chocolate mud pots' and also a ginger cake. Obviously we end up eating the leftovers for the next week!

starting to think of Christmas dinner - not the turkey - the veg roasted sweet potatoes, mixed with parsnips, red onions, potatoes, butternut squash with olive oil and rosemary... pickled red cabbage with apples ...leeks in white sauce with herbs.. butterbeans...and veg stuffing & boiled carrots, broccoli & sprouts, use the veg juice for making gravy - pickles ...

How do you make vegan Yorkshire puds? Genuinely interested as I’m a chef and cater to vegans quite a lot. :)

Your food sounds delicious. Your SIL is a rude, ungrateful bastard. Tell her there's no room in the oven. Which is probably true. Rapeseed oil is brilliant for roast potatoes btw - loads better than goose fat.

I shall bare this in mind when not catering for my vegan sil sorry no room at the inn, cannot possibly fit your food in the oven. Interesting how the advice for a meat eating guest is totally the opposite to if you have a vegan or vegetarian for a meal.
For the record I would always cater for someone's needs and for me the food is central everyone should feel comfortable and catered for. Yes you sil is rude about you being vegan but so are you being. I don't think you need to cook the food just give her the opportunity to cook it, it won't take much space.

The SIL can eat the food that is being prepared! She is having her needs catered to, like everyone else. She's being served food that she can eat!

Meat eaters can eat vegan/vegetarian food, fgs.

planetclom She is catering for everyone, assuming the SIL eats things other than meat. No one needs vegetables cooked with meat products and there will already be some meat there from other relatives. If the OP was a meat eater serving exactly the same meal the SIL wouldn't be bringing anything, I guarantee it. Oh and I think you mean bear this in mind. HTH

Ugh. I promised myself I'd avoid vegan threads because common sense is thrown out the window with defenders of the vegan cult, however I think vegan for growing children is (imo) child abuse and so wrong and so selfish of parents to do that. Vegetarian for them, if you must. However no dairy? Wrong. I really hope she does feed your poor children dairy and meat. Parents who do this to their innocent children really boil my blood! Hopefully she can open up your children's eyes to good healthful food and open your closed mind and realise how dangerous and unhealthy the diet is, especially for children. *I'm outta here before I say anything else!

MaNeOi as you cannot take back the offer to stay for a week I would have a chat by phone first and set out a few ground rules with her. Decide for yourself, of course, but for me it'd be things like yes, you can bring your own gravy and you will label it in the fridge or whatever, no there is not space for her to make this or that in the kitchen due to space but yes, she can bring stuff. The bacon sandwiches if your call but no, your kids won't be having any. As a guest in your house she will need to respect your choices as a family. I'd just make it clear that it will create a really horrible atmosphere if your sil tries to offer your kids specific food or makes a big deal about your choices.

SalemBlackCat - healthy food? What like bacon!? (I love bacon, but I wouldn't call it a health food!)

open your closed mind the fucking hypocrisy! Have you seen how many fat kids there are? Shit processed meals and foods full of shit junk food and you have the fucking cheek to lecture a vegan. Fuck away off.

A well planned vegan diet is suitable for children of all ages. A poor diet is “dangerous” for children regardless of them being vegan or not. www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/vegetarian-vegan-children/

I’ve read some hysterical nonsense on this site over the years but a big congrats to @SalemBlackCat for that effort, could be top 10 material.